This blog is an ongoing record of traveling world with bamboo bike and starting / growing up social enterprise,"Bamboo Samurai". Bamboo Samurai will make bamboo bike and attractive bamboo products by using only Japanese bamboo. I will contribute to develop craftsmanship, coexist with bamboo forests in Japan and to build ecological world all over the world. I am loving Nature, biking, and bamboo. Please keep supporting Bamboo Samurai! Bamboo Samurai Founder,Takashi

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October 28, 2010

In Chester, there were Mississippi river, Popeye, big trucks, beautiful church, good bar, friendly guys in the bar and good bike hostel.

Bamboo bike put the pedals on Illinois for the first time and crossed Mississippi river. When finished crossing the Mississippi river, (there were no bike lanes on the bridge), the statue of Popeye welcomed us.

In the morning, I spend some hours to re-plan our schedule in Al's place in Farmington.

Bamboo bike and I had valuable time, we were very helped in Al's place in Missouri, I could spend many hours to use internet, gather information, warm shower, soft bet, clean room, kitchen, and laundry. Thank you Farmington city, thank you Doug, thank you Missouri!
Bamboo bike started biking at 11:30a.m. Today we enjoyed biking, because on the way there were little cars, no dogs attacked us, surrounded many beautiful red, yellow, green trees. "A path in autumn" Good feeling.

I heard about 70% of this states of Missouri are forests. We saw the big turucks carrying timbers, I thought about industry of this states, maybe foests and timber industry was developed. I remembered the scenery of Wakayama prefecture, one of the prefectures in Japan and there were many forests like Missouri. Now in Japan sometimes logged timebers are neglected in the forests, because it costs much to transport these timbers, neglected timbers in forests causes increase of carbon dioxicide.

On the Hwy Z, which was a local road, there was a road work, and road was already closed... But I could not find the alternate way, I could only Interstates Hwy 55 in the map, Interstates Hwy was very dangerous. So I decided to continue going on Hwy Z. Road work was executed but kind worker helped us, he was so kind that he stopped road work and we could pass beside the road work. Thank you so much.

We arrived at locak road, Hwy H near Chester city. The scenery has changed much, very different from Missouri. No trees, no hills, vast farms were spreading in front of us.
"Is here Missouri?" I wondered. It was interesting. We passed flat field for some time, we crossed the Mississippi river, and arrived at Chester city at 3:00p.m. I saw the statue of Popeye there. Chester city, the birthplace of Elzie Sagar, the author of Popeye. In my childhood, I played game "Popeye". I remembered that I ate spinach to be such a strong man, Popeye in my childhood. In a visitor center I talked to the staffs about my activities and bamboo bike.They got intrested in bamboo bike.

We arrived at Eagles, which was a bar, restaurant and bike hostel in Chester city. No charge for cyclist's staying, warm shower. In the bar I met Donna, the owner of Eagles and Richy, Jason, Tommy, Billy, and many guys. I enjoyed talking to them, they were friendly, and they were excited to talk about bamboo bike. Some people said "bamboo bike could float, you could swim accross Mississippi river. Funny, but Happy. All people in Chester city knew about bamboo, the fact bamboo grows fast, bamboo pole for fishing and bamboo floor.

"Nercastle Brown Ale":
it was a darker beer, color was black. I like darker beer. It tasted sweet, light, very fruity and strong, It was like a British beer.I like this.

"Samuel Adams Octorberfest":
It tasted sweet like sugar, I felt this beer was made from sugar cane. But I did not know. It was too sweet for me. I prefer "Newcastle Brown Ale".

Exceptional
"Shot, Tequila"
Strong... Oops!

Bamboo bike and I stayed at Eagle's lodge for cyclist. There was history, there were stories of many cyclist here. We were happy to stay here, we could sleep on soft bed tonight. Thank you Donna, Richy, Tommy, Billy, and many guys. Thank you Eagles and Chester city!
Oops,,,,in my stomach Tequila rolled around... crush,,Good sleep.

Article is here but he is actually in Heartland Medical Center in Marion Illinois, not Carbondale Hospital like it reads. Nurse said he is bumped and bruised but in good spirits but no plans of discharge as of tonight. http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=13413582

I found a comment by Yokota Frits on my Blog started two weeks ago.First, are you OK? You seem to be tough gut.I coincidently find this blog from Yokota's blog.I don't know you and your plan well.But hang in there.I also have more simple and difficult dream recently.Please check my blog up.Have a nice day. I will follow your blog as possible as i can.BTW, my professor was ushio chujyo.

Thank you so much,Yokota Fritz-san, shuichi-san, Lena B-san,Great to hear from you and I got power from you. Now I am fine, and the condition is getting better day by day. I will biking again this weekend. Takahsi 2010/11/1 @ St.Louis